“With James Key in the role of technical director, we start a new chapter in the history of Toro Rosso, and I hope it's an interesting one,” said team boss Franz Tost.

“James comes to us with a strong reputation and has proved he can help smaller teams punch above their weight. We cannot expect miracles in the next few races, but James has joined early enough to have an influence on our car for 2013, when we hope to have a better season than this one, even if last weekend's result in Belgium, with both cars in the points, was encouraging.”

Key added: “It's a great opportunity for me to join a team that strikes me as extremely ambitious with a workforce that is very motivated. Even after just a few days I have sensed, from everyone I have dealt with, an enthusiasm to move the team forward. There are clear opportunities coming up through regulation changes, and we intend to look not only at the long term, but the short term, too.

“We will be studying the team's working practices throughout all the departments, while looking to see which areas need strengthening further. Our aim has to be to move the team up a level in terms of its position within the F1 hierarchy. Next year's car project is already well underway and it seems to be going in the right direction; and now we have a few months left to ensure it is a step forward from this year's car.”

Toro Rosso drivers Jean-Eric Vergne and Daniel Ricciardo are just 17th and 18th in the driver standings, respectively, this season. The two have combined for just 12 championship points, with six of those coming in last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

“Looking closer to home, there is still some development to come on this year's STR7 and we will be doing our best to make the most of the remaining eight races with the developments already in the pipeline, all of it coming off the back of a good weekend in Spa,” Key said.